The Violent Peace Ministries
"Jesus suffered a VIOLENT death to bring us PEACE!"
This is a tribute page. Recognizing my early call and ministerial origins back in High School in the late 1980's and early 1990's; how I got my feet wet in ministry, my Christian Heavy Metal roots!
This was WAY before I came to the knowledge of the Hebraic Roots of the Faith, The Jewishness of Messiah and the relevance and applicability of Torah. I must acknowledge that this was part of my journey to where I am now. I wouldn't be who or where I am today if I didn't recognize where I came from and the people who carried me part way on their shoulders. It made me the radical, bold, all-out Believer and witness I am today. It was during this time in my young life that I learned to think and minister out side the box and use the various gifts and talents God had given me to minister for Him in ways no one would expect. It was during this time I developed a heart for ministry, missions and evangelism, that's still at the core of my being today. Most didn't understand us then, and many do not get us now either. But we serve God and not man or his man-made sects and denominations. We came from all different Christian denominations to reach out to a sub-culture no other church or ministry in our area was reaching out to. We were radical and on fire for the LORD. Full of zeal and passion. We weren't perfect and didn't have it all together, but we sure gave it our 110%. We learned a lot by trial and error, but nonetheless the LORD blessed what we were doing for Him and we seen many hearts and lives transformed by Messiah Yeshua. Even now I'm not your typical cookie cutter Messianic and or Nazarene Believer. I now walk in the footsteps of Yeshua the Messiah by walking and following in the Torah, but not in the way most do. I'm me, and I can't be or pretend to be anyone God has not called or made me to be. Gotta give kudos and shout-outs to my partners in crime: Tom Dunn, Rick Littleton, Jason Baker, Dustin Ensminger, Mike Gifford, Kory Pounds and Betsy Groff. |
TODAY:
L-R: Front to Back: Me, Rick Littleton. Mike Gifford and Thomas Dunn, Esther Gifford and Kory Pounds. |
The Violent Peace Bio: How it all began...
The Bio from our press kit we'd give to pastors and churches. We even got in the local paper!
Tom and I: Founders: President and Vice President of the Ministry.
Yeah, it was the 1980's and 90's; Heavy Metal, ripped, acid washed jeans, long hair, mullets, mohawks, jams, friendship bracelets and earrings. Go ahead, it's okay to laugh.
Yeah, we had our Senior pics done in a cemetery! 1991 Baby! For us, death wasn't the end, it was a new birth!
Yeah, we had our Senior pics done in a cemetery! 1991 Baby! For us, death wasn't the end, it was a new birth!
The Monthly M.O.S.H. tract flyers
Mosh, also called Slam Dancing was a thing at Heavy Metal and Hardcore Music concerts. It's where you basically played human bumper cars. We made and acronym of it. M.O.S.H. = March On Satan's Head! So we called our flyers the Monthly M.O.S.H.
No social media back then. It was flyers, underground magazines and word of mouth that got the message out. We had no email address but we had a P.O. Box!
Each month I or someone else would draw a radical, eye-grabbing picture with a devotional or Bible study, song lyrics or an article addressing a social issue facing people in that sub-culture at that time on the back. We'd photocopy them by the hundreds and scatter them throughout the school bathrooms, hallways and classrooms. We left our contact information on there in case anyone wanted to talk.
The art work may be slightly unnerving to some, but we were reaching out to and grabbing the attention of people in the Heavy Metal and Rock scene who were attracted to radical artwork and album covers.
We'd also "tithe" our lunch money and save up to buy Bibles, tracts, and Christian Rock music cassette tapes to hand out. We'd also car pool on weekends to take people to Christian Rock concerts down in Columbus Ohio, because we knew at each concert they would preach the Gospel and give and invitation for salvation.
No social media back then. It was flyers, underground magazines and word of mouth that got the message out. We had no email address but we had a P.O. Box!
Each month I or someone else would draw a radical, eye-grabbing picture with a devotional or Bible study, song lyrics or an article addressing a social issue facing people in that sub-culture at that time on the back. We'd photocopy them by the hundreds and scatter them throughout the school bathrooms, hallways and classrooms. We left our contact information on there in case anyone wanted to talk.
The art work may be slightly unnerving to some, but we were reaching out to and grabbing the attention of people in the Heavy Metal and Rock scene who were attracted to radical artwork and album covers.
We'd also "tithe" our lunch money and save up to buy Bibles, tracts, and Christian Rock music cassette tapes to hand out. We'd also car pool on weekends to take people to Christian Rock concerts down in Columbus Ohio, because we knew at each concert they would preach the Gospel and give and invitation for salvation.
Violent Peace Underground 'Zines
Again, no internet or social media. This is how you got your message out back in the day! They weren't called "magazines," they were called " 'zines."
We had no ministerial backers or supporters. We had no, "Go Fund Me" pages; it all came out of pocket... our pockets.
We had no ministerial backers or supporters. We had no, "Go Fund Me" pages; it all came out of pocket... our pockets.
The Eternal Flame front and back cover The Electric Chair front and back cover
First Church of the M.O.S.H.: Our House Church Flyer
Tom, fresh out of High school and a newlywed; we had the church in their little upstairs apartment. We were a church for the unchurched. We were a church for those who were not welcomed or didn't feel comfortable in a traditional, suit and tie, mainstream church.
We'd share Christian Metal songs that ministered to us and we'd praise and worship to them. We'd share our testimonies, what God done for and through us that week. We'd share our prayer requests and then, Tom or I, or a guest speaker would preach a sermon.
We'd share Christian Metal songs that ministered to us and we'd praise and worship to them. We'd share our testimonies, what God done for and through us that week. We'd share our prayer requests and then, Tom or I, or a guest speaker would preach a sermon.